I've voted for a Disco3. (Not that I'm biased or anything! )

If you have the financial ability to buy one then you should - you are looking at a car which will provide you with all the glory and satisfaction you had with the Freelander 2 - but give you that extra breadth of capability on top of it.

You'd have the space of the bigger car, the 7 big seats (do come in very useful on occassion - considering they're full adult-size seats), the cushioning comfort of air suspension, the electrickery of the Discos off road system (if you'd ever use that), the utilitarian usefullness of having a car of the such - the big buckets of door pockets and cubbys everywhere.

Even better - reliability is now top quality and very few issues are reported with the new models.

Regarding greamehunter's summary - we've never found a problem parking it anywhere. It has never been too tall for any car park, and we have slotted it into spaces all over the centre of our busy city. Plus we reach about 30 MPG which isn't far off the Freelander 2 at all

Give it some serious thought  "CY from DISCO3"

Discovery 3 TDV6 SE

I voted Disco 3 despite being satisfied with my FL2. I got my car through work, I started off looking at larger vehicles. I had a Volvo XC90 for a long weekend, that was a £34,500 vehicle but was affordable on the lease scheme because it came in under £500 per month. Unfortunately the cheaper Disco 3 (£32,500) at the time had to be ruled out because the lease cost went over my £500 per month limit; this seems strange but is all about residual values, the XC90 is very good on residuals.

The Disco 3 was £45 per month more expensive than the Volvo (and £125 per month more than my FL2). If it had not been for the company restrictions I would have paid the extra for the Disco 3 AND lived with the lower fuel consumption, quite a chunk at 30k miles per year. I had to look at the FL2 to stay within the lease limit; Now within that budget I could have had an FL2 HSE, but I have to say I couldn't justify that to myself, I picked the GS as representing the best value for money model (to me).

As it turns out I love my FL2, after 7months and 17k miles it still puts a smile on my face and I still go out and drive it 'just for fun'. Mrs Avtur will tell you that I've come up with some really interesting excuses why I have to 'pop out in the car', even yesterday I went out to test drive the new radio thats just been fitted ....

Given a bit more freedom I would however choose the Disco 3 ....

in mitigation, i learned to drive in a semi rural environment & to this day still have no idea what lane to be in approaching a roundabout,
and do a fair amount of work in Rome/Milan where carparks are just a little bit tighter !
although as far as i know Buchanan Galleries in Glasgow is still the only D3 friendly multi story.
( I've bottled it & reversed out of a few )

Voted for the D3, got one myself and SWMBO has a Fl2

Although the Fl2 is magnificent, SWMBO still finds the D3 bigger, bolder, quiter, and a softer ride (air springs!)
And the prices (in Belgium at least)... Well, let's say her HSE Fl2 buys you a basic D3 with some extra's...

I voted for the LR3 (D3) as this was actually what I started to look at, and if money and company policy would have allowed then I would of had a V8 D3.

Due to my arrangement with my company I can get a FL2 HSE but not the basic D3.

I have a D3 HSE (2 since Jan 05 in total 50K miles) and a Fl2 HSE auto (wifes but I drive it a fair bit) I think you need to look at what you want. The D3 is a more luxurious ride, but it is slower less fun to drive and has a less quality feel to the inside.

I have never had a problem parking either car in any car park of any type. Personally out of choice I drive the D3 as I prefer the higher position and the magic carpet ride, but I do really enjoy the sportiness of the Fl2. Driving down some country lanes the other day I had a RRS SC trying to push me along, it was quicker on the straight but couldn't keep up with the Fl2 through the bendy twisty bits - my D3 wouldn't have kept up with either!

I would say go and drive both and see which suits you, both are great cars. As for reliability, the D3 is 18 months old with 26K and hasn't had a single issue, the Fl2 has done nearly 3K since April and hasn't had any issues either! D4 HSE Lux for me
FL2 HSE Zermatt & Alpacca for the wife now gone
Skoda Yeti L&K for the wife.

We're not making this very easy for you are we?

Just one word before I unroll the facts of the last week: It's really nice to feel that people that you have not even met from different countries are so friendly and care about problems you might have. Thanks again everybody, honestly I am deeply moved! Maybe LR creates those problems just to unite us all.

The facts: I have test driven a Disco TDV6 2.8lt, a RRS 4.4 supercharged and a FL2 TD4, with this order. I had the Disco for one day, the RRS for half an hour and the FL2 for 2 days. I must say, each time I was heading off in each of the cars I though that each one was the car of my life!

The Disco is so smooth everywhere. You are on tarmac, then off-road and it makes no difference! The car can go anywhere, and even when off-roading it's rock solid inside, no rattles and stupid problems like the FL2. I looked at the posts in disco3.co.uk and there are threads about similar problems with our FL2's, but moslty with '06 prior models. Overall the car is a war machine. Maybe that's why it's a bit modest inside compared to FL2 (let the RRS aside). The radio display is not very readable from the driver (it's too low and the viewing angle not good). Air suspension, low-range, the auto box, acceleration and speed -> perfect. My personal only concerne the 'simple' interior (still packed with technology: satnav, tv, voice recognition, 3-zone aircon, electronic handbrake). I would have no second thought if it had the FL2 (or RRS) interior.

The RRS supercharged is PERFECT! At least if you own Shell or BP (26lt/100km and not pushing it too hard). If you spare the money then... I guess that the diesel is much lighter for our pocket bit still 'out of range'. I used to have a Lancia HF Integrale and I thought it was fast. This beast outperforms it, even if it's 2,5tn

This weekend I have the FL2 diesel manual. Great car too, but if you spend 65000Euro for the full extra version you demand a fully reliable car with no creaks and rattles I think. However 7lt/100km is amazing. Plus it's like a airplane cockpit inside. I don't mean that it's not reliable but when offroading I would like it to sound like the Disco3, ie no sounds from the plastics, just the civilised TD4 engine.

Having tested all of them I believe that the Disco is the car to get if you need sth expensive (similar price to FL2) but eager to go anywhere, without the owner feeling guilty for taking it over some stones! It makes you feel free, this car, honestly!
The FL2's got the looks and the hi-tech interior/design, but get it off-road and you start thinking about the suspension and sterring box wearing out (at least I do). I have never gone off-road with my i6 and it still rattles and suspension knocks. I don't want to even think what would happen if I really do a bit of off-roading (maybe it's time to vote in avtur's post about off-roading, sorry mate waited for the weekend to get some free time). However it's very civilised, economical and premium quality inside - excluding the creaks.
The RRS combines the two worlds of Disco and FL2, but you have to have the extra cash for buying and running it.

My verdict then: give me a few more days to decide and you'll be the first to know. I love my FL2, really, but isn't life too short to spend so many valuable minutes checking where this creak comes from, and so much time at the dealers for software updates and other minor (or not) issues? Let me say it again, I love my LR2, but I think my nervous system is getting a bit sensitive as I age! Maybe it's Carl to come up with the good news: the new FL2 batch may be perfect solid inside. Mic to Carl then...

Hard to compare them really, for off-road, space and 7 seats go for the D3. If you rarely (if ever)go off-road and don't need space or 7 seats then the FL2 suits better.

I have had both and love the D3, it can do everything I want and do it well too. I off-road a lot and it's awesome, I do long motorway journeys which are a breeze and 32mpg is perfectly acceptable for a car of that size.

If they ever give the FL2 air suspension and thus more ground clearance it would be aamazing off-road.

I'm with Carlfraz, can't find any voting buttons, but I took delivery of a Sumatra Black HSE diesel auto in June, only addition required to the HSE spec was privacy windows and biexonal headlights. Since added the roof bars. Having owned four DISCOS and never rated the original FL I was sceptical, but having been give one for an hour for an unaccompanied test drive I was sooooooo impressed, I ordered one that day!

No regrets, and unless I was heading off on Safari, I would not touch the Disco. Compared with the FL2, it's an ugly looking beast. No doubt about it the DISCO is superior off road, but the FL2 just purrs with quality, and comfort a real pleasure to drive, it certainly gets far more positive comments than my Discos ever did!

So my vote id definitely with Carl.

Touch wood no faults identified after 3 months!

Carl, average mileage with HSE Diesel Auto is 32 mpg, and living in Germany I can ton it!

Hi Mack glad to hear it! I'm averaging 34ish and I'm not toning it, so thats a fair comparison As coteframboy says if you put air suspensin on the FL2, then bye bye Disco 3. I had the FL1 and the FL2 is in a different league, forgetting ground clearance as an issue. Yes the GC could be better with air sus'n but then sales of Disco 3 would be hit hard.

On Friday my secretary's husband popped into the office with his RRs supercharged motor to 'go for a spin' yes it was so so quick and boy did I grin when driving it...and oHH! THE SOUND ON FULL THROTTLE....WET PANTS!!!!!' But MPG??????..... and boy did it rattle and squeek from the back!!!

So pound for pound, day for day use, the FL2 did everything the RRS did but cheaper and quieter. If you want to go SERIOUS offroading or just adverstise your 100K salary get the RRS, if its a less than 100K salary but serious offroading you want the Disco 3. But if you want a good wholesome family or SUV with pedigree and some status with very serious offroad ability, then the FL2 is the one.

I intend to improve my off road skills in the near future as the car is currently way better than its driver

Carl do you really mean this... rattles from the RRS? Why is it so difficult for LR to improve on this?

I could not believe this myself but did not want to mention this to the driver even though it was obvious!!!! I did pluck up the courage and was told it was a toll box in the boot.....Phew!!!! so lesson learn't.....don't assume anything always question it.

So well done RRS Sorry about the rattle comment .....withdrawn!!

carlfraz wrote:

I could not believe this myself but did not want to mention this to the driver even though it was obvious!!!! I did pluck up the courage and was told it was a toll box in the boot.....Phew!!!! so lesson learn't.....don't assume anything always question it.

So well done RRS Sorry about the rattle comment .....withdrawn!!

Are you sure the tool box wasn't in there to cover up the squeaks and rattles of the car?